Lair Of The Beast || Nicolae Bartholy X OC || [COMPLETE]

2. The Florist's daughter.

"Kate! Kate! Are you listening to me?"

The older man asked as he pushed the glasses up his nose.

"Dad! Stop worrying. I heard you." A girl with brown wavy hair, green eyes and a beautiful smile came out of the back of the little flower shop. The only flower shop in Mistery Spell.

"I don't know, maybe it's too early..." The florist strached his grey beard, thinking.

The girl moved behind him and hugged him. "It is not. We are ready to open. It's our big day, there is people lined up already!  We can't go back now."

"You sound so much like your mother. She would be proud of you." He smiled and pat his daughter's arm lovingly.

"Let's do this." He finally told her.
Kate nodded and kissed him on the cheek.

"Get ready dad!" She chuckled and went for the door.

She tied her long hair in a ponytail and opened the doors of the shop.

"Good morning everyone! We are officially open! " Kate was happy. Her new fresh start in that small town had her so excited.

They had arrived a few days before the grand opening.

Her father, Bill , had been a famous landscaper and gardner in their hometown, for years. After Kate graduated from high school she left home for the big city, where she attended university and earned a deegree in botany.

She had a call just like her mother. Kate could bring back to life even the most dried up branch, just with her caring nature and her singing.
She loved singing to plants, as she always believed they listened to her.

After college she was working for an eco company, still in the city.

She had a career, a boyfriend...

Then, her mother, Sophia, got cancer and she didn't think twice about going back home.
She quit her job, got in a fight with David and broke up with him.

He was not going to stand in between her and her wish to be with her mother.

As she moved back in with her parents, getting through her mom's illness was pretty tough.

She passed away eventually a few months later. Kate was 23 years old, but you are never ready to see your mother die.

After that it was harsh. Kate decided to not go back to the city. She wanted to be with her dad who really needed her.
Bill had fallen into depression after losing his wife, Kate couldn't leave him.

She started working with him, pushing him to go back at doing what he loved: gardening.
It took a while, but with Kate's bright smile and energy, he found his passion once again.

Three years later, he came back home with the news. He had sold the farmhouse and bought a property in a little town that was coming back to life, just like him, he said.

The price had been so cheap that it was a real good deal. They would still have a lot of money from the sale of their house.
Bill was ecstatic and so was Kate.

The property they now owned,  was the only greenhouse in Mistery Spell. It had an outside garden area, front and back, a little shop in the front, the greenhouse in the back and living quarters on the second floor.

It always had been their dream to own a place like this in a small town.

A new life.

*

Kate was greeting the people of Mystery Spell, introducing herself and her dad to them.
She walked each and every one of their customers through the beautiful small garden in the back, passing through the greenhouse as well.

Mystery Spell needed them like oxygen. The town was rebuilding itself and welcomed Sophia's Garden with open arms.

As she ringed another plant Kate glanced over at her dad, he was laughing and enjoying meeting the new neighbors.

Bill had written down a few phone numbers of people that needed a landscaper and was more than happy to have extra work. He loved keeping busy.

Kate was so happy to see her dad like that. Moving to Mistery Spell was the best idea they ever had.

*

Their first day was a success.
They had a lot of costumers and basically got to know half the town.

At the dinner table, upstairs from their shop, Bill was counting the money they had make. He was euphoric.

"Dad, the money can wait. Dinner is ready. We skipped lunch we really need some food."

Kate eyed her father as she brought the casserole on the table.

"I know, I know, honey, but look at this, and it was only one day." Bill smiled and put the money away, then went to wash his hands.

After dinner, Bill helped Kate to clear the table and wash the dishes.

"Did you get to meet Joe?" He asked her.

Kate nodded. "Yeah, the lumberjack, right?"

Bill dried the plate he was holding. "Him. We talked about the woods. He told me a couple of spots with wildflowers and some other plant, I was thinking to check it out."

Kate was happy to hear he wanted to go explore. "Sounds great, dad."

Bill smiled. "Yeah. Have you heard about the old house?"

Kate turned to look at him. "You mean the abandoned castle on top of the hill? That is more like a mansion... anyway, yeah. I heard some of the kids talking about it. Ghost stories... nothing much."

Bill nodded. "Joe's brother, Jack, told me the garden on the property has flowers nobody has ever seen anywhere else before, and they still live, even if the place is in ruin."

Kate listened carefully, Bill continued.

"He said the gates are chained, but Joe told me that there is another way to the garden, through the woods. It seems whoever lived there, owned a part of the woods and never closed the area off."

Kate arched one of her brows.
"So you can get in the garden through the woods?" She asked curiously.

Bill smiled widely. "Exactly. Joe said he would show me the way, but he won't step on the property. Those folks are scared of old ghost stories, like you said."

Kate shrugged. "You know how people are... "

They finished drying off everything.

"Are you gonna check it out for real, dad?" Kate asked as her father sat on his chair in the living room.

"Why not. You got the shop. I trust you." He smiled.

Kate smiled back. "Just be careful."

"I always am, sweetheart. I always am." He winked at her and then proceeded to read the local paper.

Shout out to KirstenDanielle13 for suggesting me Kate's name ♥